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Ziguran
Sheer-faced plateaus towering up over lush jungles hang hidden in the mist rising from sinuous rivers, veins of rust-red iron ore running through them. Mines chiseled into mountains of pure emerald seek the Hidden Deity, the chanted paeans of workers echoing through the miles of tunnels, while traders await carts of jewels at the mouths. Citadels and domes of the Crimson City glisten in the setting sun, the heavy-sweet smell of night-blooming illthye blossoms, disguising the odor of blood and death, the result of daily conflicts amongst the city's rival factions. Miles of desert dotted with rare oases stretch out from hubs of civilization, traversed only by the condemned, the greedy or the very foolish. This is Ziguran. Originally part of Drakoria, the second cataclysm separated that supercontinent into Vash, Rhe'Yubla and Ziguran, leaving the majority of dragynkind in the darkest continent. Many scholars, including Pleani the wise of Kemstead Abbey and Fhilostonae of Roshanon, speculate the third major cataclysm and the age of Thunder to have begun on Ziguran in the hot core of the Koraebowa volcanos. In 29,000,000, the balance of the wyrmkind found their way in a mass exodus to the heart of Ziguran and the deepest jungles of Arauane. Said to be under the protection of the ravenous dragyn deity Zzrrrgk, Arauane is a city believed to lie at the heart of the continent, nestled amongst the Enninnukei Mountains. All that is known of Arauane in present time comes from the words of Yokab Ezrak, a learned man and prophet, who is said to be a manifestation of the lord of the Galilammi. He suggests a great treasure in the bowels of the earth, still tended to by ferocious wyrms. Yet no earthly inhabitant of Thrael has ever returned from a journey seeking the lost city with proof of its existence and all those claiming to have done so have been struck down by strange diseases. In 20,000,000, the dragynkind again tried to extend their influence during a brief renaissance as the wyrms broadened their horizons across Ziguran and into Rhe'Yubla. The "Cloakfog" was created as a protective barrier around the Rhe'Yublan island chain. In 12,300,000, the fourth major cataclysm began the Age of Dust, which saw the peak of the Giantkind/Dragyn wars. In the deep jungles of Loriida, the giantkind created the first gharkins, a primitive forefather of the Seres tribe, to serve as "dragynslayers." This gharkin army was then sent to sweep across central Laurdia towards Peregorne's eastern coast in search of the wyrms. This cataclysm saw major changes in Quesalia and Peregorne, yet Ziguran remained quiet, at least on the surface. In 100,000, the Age of Hunters began as Maluk created the Lorevain from modern mammals, reptiles, avians, insects and pisceans. Animal-humanoid race begin to appear on every major continent. The appearance of the Lorevain somehow prevents extinction of giantkind and dragynkind as the ancient races began to come back from extinction. Major changes were brooding as the Age of Awakening began in 35,100. Some say using the rich dark earth of Ziguran, Vaen created the il'lthye and the sylvani. The sylvani quickly left the infernal heat of the deserts and migrated to the Great Syl'Wydde forest of Southern Peregorne, accepting Beade as the mother and rejecting all of Vaen's teachings. The il'lthye were taken by the dragynkind and taught their magicks and lore, mutating into a taller, more mystical caste than the sylvani. During the diaspora of the dark elves, all had left to find homelands. In or around 17,250, during the Age of Lords, the houses were established and only two sects made their hegira back to Ziguran. The xul'Abraxas were banished from the dark elf territories in Peregorne for practicing a new form of magic known as "Channeling" and fled to northeastern Ziguran to settle near the Bay of Hebeh and the Omadurin area. Following soon after, the nox'Ascenti went to Er'rakkesh on the western emerald coast and were the only elves to stay true to the Dark Mother, practicing their fanatical rites as the worshipped Vaen. Dauns began evolving in Ziguran about 25,500 appearing as a primitive race with low foreheads and simian features. Quickly evolving, by 14,300 there was a steady growth of human settlements near the Bay of Hebah in northeastern Ziguran. It was at this time that the Abraxan culture began to develop heiroglyphic writing. Closely thereafter, the tribes of Sunjo dauns were discovered in the dark jungles of Loriida. The dark elves of Ziguran continue to flourish and in 13,575 the old Abraxan captial of Zagorziah reached the peak of its power and the great pyramid of Carnasoz, which was commissioned by Padaht Gazartept II, was completed. This is considered the high point in the early Abraxan civilization. In 13,500, the Teriadin druim'dwer culture begins to flourish in northern Ziguran. Active commerce with the Sodalians helps the dwarves become successful seamen, trading along the coasts of Laurdia, Quesalia and Indrijan. Many say that the Teriadin ventures were funded with Abraxan coin and this lead to the establishment of the Abraxan Middle Kingdom. Exposure to increasing trade among these diverse cultures along the eastern Ziguran coast and Sodalian Seas lead the Abraxans toward imperial expansion and development. In central Ziguran, King Eldaranumn of the Zigurs began his rise to power in 12,900, consolidating settlements in the vast jungles. The Naroumbi Empire began to thrive as major trade relationships evolved among the Sodalian states, the xul'Abraxan elves and the Zigur cultures. Their stronghold in the central states lasted for 220 years until the fierce and tribal Sunjos usurped power, overrunning the Zigurs and banishing them. Two hundred and thirty years later, Queen Eldariana daughter of Eldaranumn lead the Zigurs to once again seized control in the last Zigur/Sunjo war, triumphing during the bloody battle of Dongola, and dispersing what was left of their enemies to reinstating the Naroumbi Empire. During this time Murhkish nomads begin to settle west of Abraxan kingdoms and became known as the Brezah. Minor skirmishes with the neighboring Brezah tribes weakened the Empire, which fell to Nhellu the dark, the Brezah king. Once again the Zigurs bounced back, forcing a coup d'etat that vanquished Nhellu's government, allowing them to incorporate the Brezah's culture and advances in magic into their own society. The Zigur, under the rulership of King Darmmenon, continued aggressive retaliation against Brezah in 11,721, incorporating much of the Brezah territories into their empire. The Naroumbi civilization reached its peak under the Zigur rulership in 11690, the Age of Empires. Northern Ziguran had become an international mecca for the study of magic and modern technology. Coinciding with these events, the vanquished Sunjo daun cultures of Nogoba, Sandit Sando and Madai began to become recognized as a power to be reckoned with as a direct result of growing trade links with northern Ziguran cultures. In 11,200 Age of Empires, the Sunjo establish Doka-Dobao, the first great Sunjo city within Obadabh territories. At the same time, the Xullabecan Empire, the first known multi-racial culture, was being established by the dark elves of House Xul'Abraxas and humans of Abraxan culture. House Xul'Abraxas was censored by the Malakvian Nations for openly breaching the Treaty of Malakvia and sharing the secrets of magic with the humans. Ignoring this slight, the Xullabecan Empire began its rapid domination of eastern Ziguran. The history of Ziguran quiets after these events and seige gold is discovered. The xul'Abraxas create the first vulfen almost by accident and the Age of Wonders ends peacefully for the inhabitants of the Dark Continent with the accent of the Ruttle gnomes in the southeast, appearing almost magically. The Age of Chaos sees the Murhkish tribes begin to form on the eastern coast by the bay of Hebah. In 698 AoC, The Zigurandi Seddasa, a militant rebel army composed of nomadic Murhks and Brezah, initiate the religious War of Hasseh'din. Their massive raiding campaigns against Quesalian colonies cripple trading along northwestern coast of Ziguran. The Teriadin druim'dwers turn from free trade to pirating, which is still going on today, much to the despair of the city-states of Quesalia and Indrejan. Today the Xullabecan Empire still dominates the eastern coast of the continent, their cities filled with color, light and music; a warm combination of the daun and il'lthye cultures. The dey and his kâlifah (successor) rule in a government that is a combination of a monarchy and a dictatorship. The central states are controlled by the Sere gharkins, leaving the southeastern deserts to the mechanically inclined Ruttle gnomes. Mythology has lead many religious scholars to believe that the nox'Ascenti of the west coast are the children of Arauane and the last that the dragynkind allowed to leave, though it is something hotly disputed by southern daun, and flat-out denied by the Sere gharkins and the xul'Abraxas il'lthye. Central Ziguran is still controlled somewhat by the Naroumbi Empire under the Zigurs and the Sunjos of the Obadabh Territories, although there are still so many areas and tribes that have not been discovered or civilized in the steaming jungles and by the towering volcanos. Category:Ziguran Category:Lore Category:Regions